Shortening take-up for cords or the like



June 13, 1944. H, WEHRINGER 2,351,379

SHORTENING TAKE-UP FOR CORDS OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1942' Patented June 13, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHORTENING TAKE-UP FOB COBDS B THE LIKE Herman H. Wehringer, Montclair, N. J.

Application November 18, 1942, Serial No. 465,985

(Cl. 24-7L2) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in takeup means for flexible cables, cords or the like; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel take-up means upon which may be wound a cable, cord, electric conductor or the like in order to shorten the operative length of the same by winding up and compactly storing such portion thereof as may be unnecessary for its operative extension from one given point, connection or device to another.

The invention has for an object'to provide a simple and easily manipulated means upon which may be wound excess portions of the length of a cable, cord, electric conductor or the like to take up and compactly and neatly store the excess length thereof, not required for its operative extension from one given point, connection or device to another; said means comprising an elongated spool-like body formed by spaced rectangular, iiat faced, flange members which are interconnected by an intermediate shank portion of reduced dimensions, and including detachable end elements engageable with and between aligned ends of said flange members, whereby to provide keeper means for retaining the cable, cord, electric conductor or the like, wound about the shank portion, against unwinding or like displacement.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of the novel take-up device according to this invention, with a cable or cord wound and stored thereon and secured against displacement therefrom; Fig. 2 is a plan elevational view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the same, with the detachable end elements (shown in perspective) removed but applied to the cord end portions ready to be engaged with the ends of the device for closing the same.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another form oi the novel take-up device according to this invention with a cable or cord operatively Wound thereon; and Fig. 5 is a side elevational view thereof, with one detachable end element in place at one end thereof, and the other about to be applied to the opposite end thereof. v

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

In an illustrative form of the novel take-up device of this invention, as' shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the same comprises a body formed by parallelly spaced, fiat faced ange members lll of substantially rectangular shape and of suitable thickness. Extending between said flange members l0 is a central shank portion ll of reduced dimensions, that is of substantially less length and width, whereby the body oi the device is of spool-like form, with peripheral marginal portions, of substantial extent, overhansing the periphery of said shank portion Il. Said shank portion is provided with a centrally disposed transverse opening or slot I2, the purpose of which will be presently disclosed.

The spool-like body of the device can be variously made of suitable selected material, such as wood, metal, or plastic material; preferably, however, said body is folded in one piece from a suitable plastic material, such e. g. as a synthetic resin or resinoid plastic.

Illustrative of one use of the take-up device, the same may be employed to take up and store an excess portion of an electric conductor cord or cable C, such e. g. as one extending from an electrical outlet to a :door lamp or other electrical fixture or device, whereby to shorten the effective length of the cord or cable, and thus eliminate unnecessary slack in its extent from outlet to lamp, and likewise preventing. looping, twisting or other undesirable distortion of the cord or cable.

One method of applying the cord or cable C to the spool-like body of the take-up device consists in detaching one end of the cord or cable, as e. g. from the outlet from which it extends, and thereupon winding (as shown) so much thereof about the shank portion l l and between the flange members l0 as may be required for desired reduction of its length.

If it is desired to apply to the take-up device a cord or cable C, neither end of which is readily detachable from the devices between which the same is connected, in such event, the slack of the cord or cable may be doubled upon itself, and the bight of the loop thereof thus formed may thereupon be inserted through the opening or slot l2 of the shank portion ll, thereafter winding up so much of the doubled portion of the cord or cable as may be required to reduce the extent of the same to a desired length.

Keeper means are provided for retaining the portions of the cord or cable C, which are wound onto the spool-like body, from unwinding, loosening or being otherwise displaced, in whole or in part, from wound and stored condition. Such keeper means comprises detachable end elements which are applicable to and between aligned ends of the flange members III of the spool-like body. One form and arrangement of such keeper means, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, comprises end plates I3 adapted to slidably engage in transverse guide channels or grooves Il with which faces of the flange member end portions are provided. Preferably said end plates i3 are provided, at opposite marginal portions thereof, with guide w tongues I5 to slidably iit said channels or grooves Il; but it will be understood that the Specific to and between the ange member end'portions is optionally subject to wide variation in kind.

Y When the end plates i8 are operatively connected to and between the ange member end portions, so as to bridge the same, they will engage exteriorly extending portions c of the cord or cable C so as to obstruct any tendency to unwinding movement oi' the latter. In a preferred form oi' the-end plates I3, the same are each provided with an indented slot Ilf perpendicular to the planes oi' the flange members I0, in whichslots the exteriorly extending portions c of the cord or cable C are lodged prior to attaching the end plates Il to and between the ilange members In (see Fig. 3) 8o that, when the former are engaged with the latter, the outwardly open ends of the slots I6 will be closed against escape of the cord or cable portions c (see Fig. l) By such arrangement, not only will the cord or cable C be secured against displacement from the spool-like body of the take-up device. but these portions will extend substantially centrally or axially from the ends of the latter, and so as to hold the same substantially aligned with the length of the cord or cable.

Owing to the rectangular form of the spoollike body of the take-up device, the same will lie ilat on a iloor with no tendency to roll or l shift about. For example. the take-up device,

as applied to a cord or cable C, may be deposited on a oor in the angle formed thereby with an adjacent wall or wall base board, in which position it will remain out of the way, and little likely to be accidentally kicked about.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown another and somewhat modied form of the novel take-up device according to this invention, the same comprising the spaced ange members I and intermediate shank portion II. In this form of the device, the end portions of aligned flange members are provided with end wall portions I7 extending therebetween. 'I'hese end wall portions I'i are formed with cross slots I8 extending entirely therethrough from side to side thereof, and parallel to the planes of said flange members I0. Also formed in each end wall portion I1, to intersect the cross slot Iiiv thereof, is an end plug receiving or seating opening I9, in which may be detaohably engaged an end plug 20. Preferably, said end plugs 20 are of tapered form so as to frictionally wedge into the openings I9 and across the cross slots I8, when operatively attached to the device; or, optionally, the end plugs and 'openings |'9 may (be cooperatively threaded so that the former may screw into the latter. Said end plugs 20 are each provided with a laterally indenting. outwardly open slot or opening 2|.

When the end plugs 20 are removed. a cord or cable C may be passed through the open cross slots I8 and wound about the shank portion and between the ange members l0. Exteriorly extending portions c of the cord or cable C are lodged in the end plug slots or openings 2| prior to applying said end plugs in place, so that, when said end plugs are entered and engaged in the receiving or seating openings I9, and positioned to dispose their slots or openings 2| perpendicular to the cross slots I8, said slots or openings 2| will be closed against escape of the cord or cable portions c, and the wound portions of the cord or cable C will thereupon he secured against unwinding or other displacement.

' assises Having described my invention, r claimt l. A device for the purposes described compricing a spool-like bodyformed by spaced rectangular nat faced ange members and an intermediate shank portion of substantially less length and width upon which windings of a cord or cable to be served are received' and wound between said ilange members, a closure element detachably engaged between aligned ends of said ange members at each end of the body, each said closure element having an indented slot to receive an outwardly extending portion of the wound cord or cable. and said slots being disposed perpendicular to the planes of the flange members whereby their open ends are closed 'againstescape therefrom of the cord or cable extension, the closed ends of said slots being positioned in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of said body when said closure elements are operatively applied to the body ends, whereby to dispose said cord or cable extensions in substantially axial projection from the body ends and to retain the cord or cable portions wound upon the body against unwinding, loosening oi like displacement, said body being adapted to lie at upon a supporting surface without tendency to roll or shift about.

2. A device for the purposes described comprising a spool-like 4body formed by spaced rectangu-lar ilat faced fiange members and an intermediate shank portion of substantially less length and width upon which windings of a. cord' ing, loosening or like displacement, said body being adapted to-lie flat upon a supporting surface without tendency to roll or shift about.

3. A device for the mirposes described compris- `ing a spool-like body .ormed by spaced rectangular at faced ange members and an intermediate shank portion of substantially less length and width upon which dings of a cord or cable to be served are received and wound between said. ilange members, detachable end plates engageable Ibetween aligned ends of said flange` members at each end of the body, said ilange member ends and said end plates having cooperative tongue and groove means for slidably engaging the 'latter with the former, each said end plate having an indented slot to receive an outwardly extending portion of the wound cord or cable, and said slots being disposed perpendicular to the planes of the ange members whereby their open ends are closed against escape therefrom of the cord or cable extension, the closed ends of said slots being positioned in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of said body when said end plates are operatively attached to the body ends, whereby to dispose said cord or cable extensions in substantially axial projection from the body ends and to retain the cord or cable portions wound upon the body against unwinding. loosening or like displacement, said body being adapted to lie :dat upon a supporting surface without tendency to roll or shift about.

HERMAN H. WIIHRINGER. 

